Intermediate transfer members, such as intermediate transfer belts selected for transferring a developed image in xerographic systems, are known. For example, there are known intermediate transfer belts that contain polyphenylsulfones or thermosetting polyimides. The polyphenylsulfones have a tendency to degrade after a number of xerographic printing cycles, such as from about 20 to about 30 kiloprints, while polyimides can be costly, especially because such polyimides are usually subjected to curing by heating for extended time periods.
There are also known intermediate transfer members that include materials of a low unacceptable modulus or break strength, poor release characteristics from metal substrates, and which members have minimum or poor folding prevention characteristics resulting in the disruption of a full and high resolution transfer of xerographic images from a surface, like a photoconductor or to a document, such as paper. Also known are intermediate transfer members with characteristics that cause these members to become brittle, resulting in inadequate acceptance of the developed image from a photoconductor and subsequent partial transfer of developed xerographic images to a substrate like paper.
A further disadvantage relating to the preparation of an intermediate transfer member is that there is usually deposited a separate release layer on a metal substrate, and thereafter there is applied to the release layer the intermediate transfer member components, and where the release layer allows the components to be separated from the metal substrate by peeling or by the use of mechanical devices. Thereafter, the intermediate transfer member components are in the form of a film, which can be selected for xerographic imaging systems, or the film can be deposited on a supporting substrate like a polymer layer. The use of an intermediate release layer adds to the cost and time of preparation, and such a layer can modify a number of the intermediate transfer member characteristics.
For low end xerographic machines and printers that produce about 30 pages or less per minute, thermoplastic intermediate transfer members are usually used because of their low cost. However, the modulus values or break strengths of thermoplastic materials, such as certain polycarbonates, polyesters, and polyamides are relatively low of from about 1,000 to 2,000 Mega Pascals (MPa).
High end xerographic machines and printers that generate at least 30 pages per minute and up to 75 pages per minute usually select intermediate transfer members of thermoplastic polyimides, thermosetting polyimides, or polyamideimides primarily because of their acceptable modulus of about 3,500 Mega Pascals. However, intermediate transfer members using these materials are uneconomical in that both the raw material cost and the manufacturing process cost are higher than when using polyesters or polyamides. Thus, an economical intermediate transfer member possessing high modulus and excellent release characteristics for high end machines is desired.
Intermediate transfer members that enable acceptable registration of the final color toner image in xerographic color systems using synchronous development of one or more component colors, and using one or more transfer stations, are known. However, a disadvantage of using an intermediate transfer member, in color systems, is that a plurality of developed toner transfer operations is needed, thus sometimes causing charge exchange between the toner particles and the transfer member, which ultimately can result in less than complete toner transfer. This can result in low resolution images on the image receiving substrate like paper, and image deterioration.
When the image is in color, the image can additionally suffer from color shifting and color deterioration. Thus, when an image is formed on a sheet of paper in a color image-forming apparatus using an intermediate transfer member, four color images in yellow, magenta, cyan and black, respectively, are generally first transferred sequentially from an image carrier such as a photoreceptor and superimposed on the intermediate transfer member (the primary transfer). This full color image is then transferred to a sheet of paper in a single step (the secondary transfer). In a black and white image-forming apparatus, a black image is transferred from the photoreceptor, superimposed on an intermediate transfer member, and then transferred to a sheet of paper.
There is a need for intermediate transfer members that substantially avoid or minimize the disadvantages of a number of known intermediate transfer members.
There is a need for seamless intermediate transfer members that are substantially free of breaking when being folded and applying a pressure force of for example, about 1 kilogram (kg) on the folding line.
Further, there is a need for intermediate transfer member materials with minimal brittleness, and excellent break strengths, rendering such members as being readily releasable, or self releasable, from substrates.
There is also a need for intermediate transfer members that can be economically and efficiently prepared and that possess rapid release characteristics from a number of substrates that are selected when such members are prepared.
Another need relates to intermediate transfer members that have excellent conductivity or resistivity, and that possess acceptable humidity insensitivity characteristics permitting developed images with minimal resolution issues.
Moreover, there is a need for intermediate transfer members with acceptable wear characteristics, and with excellent break strengths as determined by known modulus measurements.
These and other needs are achievable in embodiments with the intermediate transfer members, and components thereof disclosed herein.